Last week, on April 10 and 11, in the heart of Vienna, something extraordinary happened. As part of the MoonShotX internationalization phase, the Vienna Orbit event, hosted by Raiffeisen Bank Romania in partnership with InnovX , brought together a dynamic constellation of innovation, collaboration, and global ambition.
With over 20 forward-thinking businesses in attendance and 13 exceptional mid-corporations presenting for impact, this event marked the beginning of a new chapter: one where bold mid-corporates scale beyond borders, supported by a vibrant, cross-sector ecosystem.
April 10th: Gearing Up for Impact
We started the day with a group photo of the MoonShotX community. 🌕
MoonShotX Community
Afterwards, we headed to Raiffeisen Bank International AG, where selected companies from our cohort engaged in 1:1 strategic meetings with the Innovation Management Team exploring real opportunities for collaboration and cross-border scaling.
Andreea Porojan Nikola Vintrova, Catalin Militaru , Yuri de Zeeuw, Philipp Göd, Alice Stoicescu - Venture Builders at Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Elma Saric - Strategic Partnerships & Ecosystems Analyst at Raiffeisen Bank International AG , Nicole Stroj - Head of Innovation Management at Raiffeisen Bank International AG.
Later in the afternoon, we moved to DLA Piper **(**our scaling partners for MoonShotX Internationalization Phase) for an exclusive Business Networking Session filled with high-value insights and legal expertise.
This session sparked discussions and answered questions about the Austrian business market, financing and employment.
Business Networking Session with DLA Piper
Special thanks to our DLA Piper, hosts: Maria Doralt , Partner, Corporate Law , Christopher Mager , Managing Partner, Corporate M&A, Marcell M Dr Németh , Head of Finance Practice
Ekaterina Larens, Partner, Corporate , Jasna Zwitter-Tehovnik, Partner, Finance, Projects, M&A , Birgit Kraml , Partner, Real Estate, Stephan Nitzl, Partner, Employment, Marc Lager, Partner, Competition and Trade, Karina Dranuk, Events Coordinator, Roman Schreiner, Senior Marketing Manager.
We are also extremely grateful to Tudor Nedelea (Partner and Head of Tax at DLA Piper Romania), Marian Dinu (Country Managing Partner at DLA Piper Romania) and Titus Percea (Senior Marketing & Business Development Manager at DLA Piper) for their involvement and dedication!
A heartfelt thank you to our Media Partner, Ziarul Financiar. They’ve been beside us every step of the way, documenting the entire event.
April 11th: Vienna Orbit Full Agenda
Raiffeisen Bank International HQ
The day opened with palpable excitement as attendees filled the halls of Raiffeisen Bank International AG HQ in Vienna.
Liftoff & Vision Ignition Keynotes
Cristian Marius Sporis, Head of Corporate Banking and Board Member at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, kicked off the event, reflecting on the journey and sharing some truly inspiring remarks.
Cristian Sporis
Later in the program, we had the pleasure of hearing from 2 powerhouse speakers - Valerie Brunner, Member of the Management Board and Head of Institutional Clients at Raiffeisen Bank International AG, and Christian Wolf, from Group Strategy & Innovation at RBI.
Their keynotes offered a sharp strategic perspective on innovation at scale, the power of institutional partnerships, and why Austria (and Europe at large) are primed to support bold businesses on their international journey.
Valerie Brunner
Christian Wolf
Fireside Chat
One of the most thought-provoking segments of the day brought together economic, legal, and public sector perspectives to explore how Austria is positioning itself as a strategic launchpad for international businesses.
Moderated by Cristian Hostiuc - Editorial Director at Ziarul Financiar, the conversation featured sharp insights from Gunter Deuber - Chief Economist at Raiffeisen Bank International AG, Christian Frey - Head of International Business at the Vienna Business Agency, and Maria Doralt - Partner at DLA Piper.
Fireside Chat
The panel explored macroeconomic trends in the DACH region, strategic opportunities for Romanian scale-ups, and the legal and institutional frameworks that can support international expansion. Vienna was positioned not just as a market - but as a launchpad, offering a blend of industrial strength, public sector support, and legal infrastructure ideal for cross-border growth. Each speaker offered practical advice for founders, emphasizing the importance of local alignment, smart structuring, and bold ambition in entering the Austrian ecosystem.
Strategic Financial & Investment Insight
In this session the focus shifted to the crucial question every growing business faces: how do you secure the right funding to scale at the right time?
Daniel Rath, Head of Corporate Customers at RBI, and Maximilian Schausberger, Managing Director at Elevator Ventures, took the stage to unpack investor expectations, capital access in the CEE region, and the financial frameworks needed to support sustainable growth.
The discussion focused on financial strategies, investment trends in CEE, and practical tools for scaling companies. Founders gained actionable advice on approaching investors, navigating risks, and building cross-border financial readiness - all tailored to the MoonShotX cohort’s growth ambitions. And it has been flawlessly moderated by Ana Bobirca, our Chief Investment Officer.
Strategic Financial & Investment Insight Panel
Scaling Triumphs
The segment "Scaling Triumphs" brought real-world validation to the MoonShotX mission, spotlighting inspiring journeys from Romanian founders who’ve already taken bold steps beyond their home market.
Minuta Adrian, CEO of Bravo International Group , and Sorin Suciu, Executive Director Mid-Corporate at Raiffeisen Bank Romania, shared their stories of scaling into the DACH region. Their insights went beyond milestones - they highlighted the mindset, adaptability, and partnerships that helped turn ambition into traction.
Together, their stories reminded everyone in the room that with the right support and strategy, regional players can absolutely become international contenders.
Adrian Minuta, CEO
Spotlight MoonShotX Innovators
The centerpiece of the day: 13 companies from diverse industries presented their innovative solutions to a panel of experts, investors, and corporate leaders.
Here’s who took the stage:
Bogdan Urdea (Sales Director) and Catalin Visu (Project Manager) - from KOGAION COM . Clean industry’s secret weapon: high-precision process engineering built in CEE.
Bogdan Urdea
Catalin Visu
Alex Malureanu (CMO) - for ASCENDIA S.A.. The gold standard in digital training.
Alex Malureanu
Marius Mocian (Business Growth Advisor) and Vlad Zileriu (Chief Growth Officer) - from RebelDot. The creative tech rebels behind the Europe’s most intuitive digital products.
Marius Mocian
Marius Ionita (CEO) - from Alumil Romania. Delivering high-performance facades for Europe’s most visionary architecture.
Marius Ionita
Florina Truta (Personal Assistant) and OCTAVIAN BLAJAN (CEO) - for Euro Team Gb Spedition. The logistics rocket ship aiming to rule the roads by 2037.
Florina Truta
Octavian Blajan
Horatiu Moldovan (President LASTING Group) - from Lasting Software . The software force behind the future of 5G and space-grade connectivity.
Horatiu Moldovan
Flavius Cazan (Head of Sales) and Cosmin Raileanu (CEO) - for Depozit Virtual. Revolutionizing how CEE builds - one smart click at a time.
Flavius Cazan
Melinda Mureșan (General Manager) and Cristi Oprea (Executive Director) - from SmartWrap Romania . 25 years of flexible packaging magic, economic, efficient, and eco as hell!
Melinda Muresan
Dragos Brudiu (Partner Manager & Sales Lead), Radu Scarlat (General Manager) and Vlad Bodea (Co-founder & Member of the Board) - for Bento - Intellectually Curious (IT Infrastructure & Automation). Curiosity-fuelled code that powers Europe’s most complex industries.
Radu Scarlat
Christian Leonte (CEO) - from WALDEVAR Holding. Powering Europe with thousands MW of solar ambition.
Christian Leonte
Mihail Vlad (CEO) - for Softia . Where brilliant minds build the future - in code, AI, and impact.
Mihail Vlad
Tudor Ortan (CEO) - for Zaleco . Engineering badass packaging for sectors that can’t afford to fail.
Tudor Ortan
Andrei Danila (CEO) - from CODE932 . Plug-and-play software scale for global giants. Fast, flawless, flexible.
Andrei Danila
Each business brought not only their pitch, but also part of their team’s energy and vision to the stage, backed by months of acceleration, coaching, and preparation.
A special shoutout to Daniel Dumitrescu, PhD., CIO of InnovX , who masterfully moderated the entire Arena with both precision and warmth.
Daniel Dumitrescu
The energy in the room wasn’t just about inspiration. It was backed by substance. Throughout the Vienna Orbit event, clear signals emerged about where MoonShotX is heading, what makes this community powerful, and why initiatives like this matter for Europe’s innovation landscape.
MoonShotX - Vienna Orbit
What This Means for MoonShotX
MoonShotX Vienna Orbit was more than just a stop on the internationalization roadmap - it was a statement of intent. It proved that Romanian-led innovation is not only ready for global stages but thrives there. With real traction, strategic conversations, and bold solutions in the spotlight, Vienna was the perfect springboard for what comes next.
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible people behind the scenes - as well as those who stood proudly at the forefront.
To our partners, speakers, attendees, mentors, and innovation champions: thank you for your energy, insight, and belief in the mission of MoonShotX . Your support is the fuel behind this international journey.
This is more than a program. It’s a growing movement rooted in collaboration, trust, and a shared vision of scaling bold ideas from CEE to the world. 🌍
At the heart of it all? Our community, and our team! Because behind every successful orbit, there’s mission control.
To the MoonShotX team- your dedication, precision, and passion are what propelled MoonShotX Vienna from vision to reality. From coordination and content to founder support and international strategy, your work lit the path for us to shine.
Laura Mihaila, Andreea Porojan, Laura Ionescu, Liviu Mihai, Diana DUMITRESCU, PhD., Anca Luca, Bianca Păcurar and Alexandra Ionescu: Thank you for being the heart of this mission!
MoonShotX Team
InnovX Team
Next Stop: USA
With the Vienna Orbit successfully completed, MoonShotX is now preparing for its next international chapter: the United States. As we gear up for a high-impact presence at SelectUSA, our mission continues - to connect visionary mid-corporates with global opportunities, capital, and strategic partners.
Stay tuned to discover the next destination, explore the upcoming agenda, and meet the innovators who will take the global stage. The journey is just getting started.